LOVED Cabaret If/Then Here Lies Love Sideshow Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill Hedwig and the Angry Inch Bullets Over Broadway (with exception to the ending)
LOVED: Bridges Gentleman's Guide Side Show Curious Incident Pippin
LOATHED: Once Disaster! the musical
VERY MUCH ENJOYED: It's Only a Play Buyer & Cellar Mothers & Sons Cabaret (Williams edition)
MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE IN FLAWED SHOW: -- Beautiful (JM is so vulnerable and engaging and I wanted to love; but that book is paint-by-numbers bio; also didn't feel the need see full-length production numbers in act 1 when a montage of hits would accomplish same without feel of PBS pledge drive) -- Hedwig (NPH was great, but disappointed in a show I had never seen previously)
MEH: - Elephant Man (admired more than enjoyed) - On the Town (wanted to fast forward thru all of the unfunny, forced schtick of the book scenes to get to the musical numbers) - Country House - Commons of Pensacola (sorry Blythe! it was a double header)
I unreservedly liked Hand To God, Gentleman's Guide, Curious Incident, The Tribute Artist, and After Midnight in calendar year 2014. That's all I can say. But I saw less than usual this year, too, I think.
I agree City of Conversation was definitely one of the highlights of the year! Also liked: Gentleman's Guide... Side Show Act One YCTIWY Casa Valentina Between Riverside and Crazy I Remember Mama The Fortress of Solitude Meh: On the Town Mothers and Sons Lips Together, Teeth Apart (exception: the extraordinary Tracee Chimo) Outside Mullingar Ugh!: Annapurna When We Were Young and Unafraid The Commons of Pensacola The Country House The Realistic Joneses
I'm shocked to see that a critic or really, anyone thought that Violet was one of the best shows of the year.
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
LOVED: Our Lady of Kibeho Mothers and Sons After Midnight Love Letters with Carol Burnett Found The Village Bike Dinner with Friends @ Roundabout On The Town City of Conversation Punk Rock The Money Shot The Long Shrift @ Rattlestick American Hero @ 2ST Uptown/McGinn Cazale The Open House @ Signature Machinal
HATED: Red Eye to Havre de Grace Violet Indian Ink Holler if Ya Hear Me Atomic @ Acorn Theater A Particle of Dread/Oedipus Variations Pitbulls @ Rattlestick Appropriate @ Signature
The three best shows I saw this year were revivals of works of yesteryear: I Remember Mama, The Fatal Weakness, and Little Mary Sunshine. All three triggered the magical sensations of wonderment and joy that theatregoing in the good old days bestowed upon us on a regular basis. Long forgotten or dormant after 40+ years in the desert, these feelings came vividly back to life, like a sudden scent of May lilacs over a miasma. If only the bad guys hadn't come along to deprive us of sensations like that forever.
Of the new works, I found While I Yet Live and The Oldest Boy worthwhile.
The worst? There were so many bad ones, they're not even worth thinking about. Better to relegate them forever to the oblivion and ignominy they deserve.